Neighbors check for bullet holes in homes after fiery SWAT standoff at Cherokee County home

Courtney Francisco
·2 min read

What started as a SWAT standoff near Allatoona Lake in Cherokee County ended in a house fire Thursday afternoon.

Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office has not released the name of the man involved but said he is 36 years old.

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Deputies said his father called them to do a welfare check on his son locked in their home in the Owl Creek subdivision.

When deputies arrived, they said they could see him through the windows walking around the home with a rifle, firing it.

Channel 2′s Courtney Francisco was live on WSB Tonight at 11 p.m. where she spoke with neighbors who witnessed the incident.

Neighbors like Frank Saver were there and said deputies issued a warning.

“Deputies went to all these houses around here and said please stay in your house, stay away from the windows,” said Saver.

Another neighbor described driving past as deputies blocked roads.

“I drove by, and I was thinking oh my God I hope nobody is going to be shooting this way,” said Carol Kettering.

The SWAT team negotiators tried to talk the man out of the home for hours. Eventually, deputies said they threw in a gas canister to try to smoke him out.

Deputies believe he covered one of the canisters with some type of blanket or bedding which sparked a fire.

News Chopper 2 was flying overhead as flames shot out the roof of the home.

SWAT was seen rushing in and pulling the man out.

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“Hopefully, everybody turns out okay and everybody’s good and he gets the help he need,” said Rick McDaniel.

No one was shot, but deputies said the man and some SWAT members were hurt during the exit.

Hours after it was over, traffic was still forced to detour while firefighters put out the flames and deputies gathered evidence.

Deputies said bullets hit at least one neighboring home, and News Chopper 2 could see bullet holes through one neighboring window.

“He was not going to come out,” said Saver. “He was not going to come out.”

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